Magical Kenya Open
After a week off post-Middle East swing, the DP World Tour returns to action with a three-week trip through Africa beginning with the Magical Kenya Open.
South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence was runner-up in this event two years ago and shares the co-favorite role with Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson, who finished eighth here in that same event.
Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino (16-1) won his first DP World Tour event two weeks ago at the Qatar Masters.
At 25-1 are France’s Federic Lacroix, who missed the cut at the Qatar Masters after consecutive top-4 finishes, and England’s Alex Fitzpatrick.
Canadian Aaron Cockerill was the co-runner-up here two years ago and is priced at 30-1 along with Sweden’s Jesper Svensson, runner-up in Bahrain three weeks ago, and France’s Romain Langasque.
Spain’s Jorge Campillo is last year’s champion but will not be defending his title as he is in this week’s field at the Mexico Open on the PGA Tour.
The Event
The Kenya Open was founded in 1967 on the now-defunct Far East Circuit/Asia Circuit. The tournament later became part of the Safari Circuit, a collection of tournaments initially in Kenya and Zambia, and then later in Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe. The Challenge Tour eventually became the home of the event from 1991-2018.
In 2019, the tournament became a European Tour event annually played in mid-March. The tournament has always been held near the capital city of Nairobi, either at Muthaiga Golf Club (1967, 1969-2002, 2009-2012, 2017-2018, 2022-2023) or at Karen Country Club (1968, 2004-2008, 2013-2016, 2019, 2021).
The title has been won by some of Europe’s Ryder Cup golfers, including Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam, Ken Brown, Edoardo Molinari and Christy O’Connor Jnr, as well as future Masters champion Trevor Immelman. The most successful player is England’s Maurice Bembridge, who recorded three victories between 1968 and 1979.
The Course
Muthaiga Golf Club is a 7,228-yard, par-71 parklands layout that dates to 1926. The front nine plays 400 yards longer than the back nine on this 36-35 split.
The club claims to have the fastest greens in Africa, which were switched to Bentgrass as part of Peter Matkovich’s 2004 renovation. Matkovich is a former Sunshine Tour player with many designs to his credit in Africa, especially South Africa.
Nairobi is about 5,000 feet above sea level, so the altitude at Muthaiga also helps the ball fly farther.
Recent History/Winners
2023: Jorge Campillo (-18/266); 45-1
2022: Ashun Wu (-16/268); 60-1
2021: Justin Harding (-21/263); 33-1
2020: Tournament canceled (COVID-19)
2019: Guido Migliozzi (-16/268); 300-1
Note: The 2019 and 2021 events were held at Karen Country Club.
Selections
Aaron Cockerill (30-1, DraftKings)
Cockerill was the runner-up here two years ago.
He is an accurate hitter (15th in Driving Accuracy) who is a consistently good putter (22nd in Strokes Gained: Putting).
The Canadian also has finishes of sixth (Bahrain) and fourth (Dubai Desert Classic) this season.
John Catlin (40-1, DraftKings)
Catlin was third last week in the IRS Prima Malaysian Open event on the Asian Tour.
The American is a three-time winner on the DP World Tour and a four-time winner on the Asian Tour.
Catlin has been one of the more accurate hitters off the tee for years on the DPWT, and the tight fairways here are right up his alley.
Masahiro Kawamura (40-1, DraftKings)
Kawamura was the runner-up here last year.
He has finishes of seventh (Dubai) and 16th (Qatar) this season.
Japanese players have been on a little run lately with Hoshino and Matsuyama winning over the last two weeks, and a shorter and narrower course like this one should fit Kawamura.
Nacho Elvira (50-1, BetRivers)
Elvira has made 10 of his last 11 cuts.
His best finishes on the DP World Tour include other events on shorter and narrower courses like the Maybank Championship, Trophee Hassan, European Masters and Qatar Masters.
The Spaniard ranks fifth on the DP World Tour for Strokes Gained: Around The Green.
Sam Bairstow (60-1, DraftKings)
Bairstow graduated from the Challenge Tour last fall.
He has ranked fourth and sixth in his last two starts for Greens In Regulation.
The Englishman comes off a 13th, his best finish in his rookie DPWT season, at Qatar.
Placement market, matchup wagers, and any additional futures adds will be available Wednesday at VSiN.com/picks.
